Kim Davis, the county clerk who denied same-sex couples marriage licenses, has lost her re-election

published 7 November 2018

Kim Davis, who gained national attention in 2015 when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, has just lost her re-election bid in Kentucky, according to The New York Times and The Associated Press.

With 100 percent of precincts now reporting, Democrat Elwood Caudill Jr. has won with 54 percent of the vote, with Davis earning 46 percent, according to The New York Times.

Davis was elected as the county clerk for Rowan County in 2014. In 2015, she defied court orders to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, ultimately being jailed for five days for contempt of court. This is the first time she has been up for re-election since then. Democrat Elwood Caudill Jr. criticized this decision during the campaign and said he wanted to see a "friendlier atmosphere" at the clerk's office.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.